


Connected

by LeedlingwithRageHappy



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Gen, Journey AU, M/M, Platonic Relationships, Soulmates, except for Ray & Joel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-16
Updated: 2014-02-28
Packaged: 2018-01-12 17:49:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 7,124
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1194093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LeedlingwithRageHappy/pseuds/LeedlingwithRageHappy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Deeming himself ready, Ray travels to the mountain in order to complete his Journey. Along the way, he makes several friendships that prove to be invaluable and, quite possibly, change his life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Beginning: Ray

**Author's Note:**

> Based off the Journey Let’s Play that Ray and Burnie did. Also there’s no dialogue in this story as I wanted to make it as similar to the game as possible. I’m not sure if knowledge of the game is needed…I tried to make it as understandable as I could for all audiences ^^ A beta would definitely be appreciated though :) [This one was a little bit difficult to write…]

The sun was shining bright in the sky, indicating another warm, but calm day in the desert. The sand stretched on for miles and there were almost no signs of life, except on a distant hill of sand. On the sand dune stood two men, one older and the mentor of the other. He had brown curls and glasses that were not very practical for the desert landscape, but they allowed him to see clearly and that was all that mattered. The other figure next to him was a young, slender man with dark hair and glasses as well with a fair amount of scruff on his face. This man, however, seemed much more adapted to the harsh winds and sands, having been taught well about life in such a hot climate. Both men were draped in red cloaks that covered their heads and lay on their bodies like a poncho. The only stark difference between the two outfits was that the older man had a scarf trailing behind his, nearly the same length as his body while the other had only a small section of scarf coming from his neck.

The dark-haired man swallowed nervously as he looked out at the landscape before him and he turned to look at his companion. The older man gave a warm smile and placed a hand on the other man’s shoulder as if to silently reassure the younger about his journey into the desert. The dark-haired man nodded slowly, knowing this was his destiny, but hesitated to move forward. Seeing the reluctance in the young man’s face, the older man pursed his lips and began whistling a low note. At this, the young man perked up and he finally returned the smile before starting to whistle as well. The two men’s whistling formed a harmonious melody that only they themselves knew and used often in times of comfort. The melody trailed off and the young man felt a new sense of strength, feeling ready to take on the journey ahead of him. He took a few steps forward and then turned around to look at the man who had raised him. The older man proudly smiled and the dark-haired man waved one last time before running off into the desert, the rays of the sun being his only guide.


	2. Geoff

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ray meets his first companion and things go differently than expected though Ray finds he can't complain in the end

After making some decent headway into the desert, the young man, Ray, slowed down his pace and took in his surroundings. To any person not native to the sands, the scenery would’ve looked the same everywhere, but he had been taught ways to tell where he was going. He turned in a tight circle as he walked forwards and almost tripped over a rock that was sticking out of the sand. After stumbling a few feet, Ray looked at the rock in confusion before realizing that it wasn’t the only one. 

As he saw the rocks clump together, he ran over a sand dune and was greeted by the sight of slender statues coming out of the ground with a strange resemblance to gravestones. The mountain, his final destination, loomed in the distance and Ray gulped, having not expected to be as large as it was. A slow movement caught Ray’s eye and he saw pieces of red cloth floating above one of the structures, suddenly feeling the strength return in him. He remembered Burnie, his mentor, telling him about the cloth and he knew he had to collect them, but he wasn’t sure how. Making his way down the sand dune, Ray approached the structure with the cloth and turned his gaze upward, watching the pieces float around. 

Another sound caught Ray’s attention and he whipped his head around, seeing a figure approach him, dressed in similar clothing to his own. Ray backed up slowly, getting ready to flee at any moment, when a strong whistling came from the other person. It was a commanding kind of sound, much like Burnie’s and Ray felt a little more at ease, though he still made sure there was a considerable amount of distance between him and the strange traveler. They whistled again and Ray watched in awe as they jumped onto the rock structure and into the pieces of cloth. The cloth glowed and swirled as a soft melody came from the stranger, Ray then noticing the long scarf around their neck. It glowed as well before the person slowly landed back down on the rock and turned their face towards Ray. 

That’s when he saw that it was an older man with a small beard with dark hair. He looked very tired, but Ray could see him waiting expectantly. The man whistled a quick note and Ray did his best to mimic what the other man did. As soon as he jumped into the cloth, Ray felt himself being lifted up and he felt his mind clear as his own melody carried on. He let out a huge sigh and let himself float back down onto the rock, feeling refreshed. The traveler said nothing and jumped off the structure, running in another direction where Ray noticed more of the cloth pieces above other structures. Ray only watched as the man ran off before he whistled and Ray assumed he was meant to follow, responding with his own light note. Ray bounced around with the idea of speaking to the man, but he remembered Burnie’s words and knew he could only communicate with his melody since that was the seemingly unspoken rule between travelers to the mountain. Those traveling together were companions, yes, but nothing more beyond the time they spent before a new traveler would take their place.

Ray’s companion once again demonstrated the way of jumping into the pieces of cloth and he obediently followed, feeling a surge of energy each time the cloth swam around him. Ray had been so focused on the pieces of cloth that he nearly jumped when he saw building-like structures around him, degraded from their former glory. He looked further ahead and saw pillars amongst ruins and the older man raced forward. Ray felt himself hesitate when he saw the sand drop off after the pillars, but the man whistled irritably and Ray shoved back his fear, following the other man’s path. Before he could react, Ray found himself sliding down the sand dune, on his feet where he nearly lost his balance a few times, but found it quite easy in the end.

He nearly crashed into his companion when they stopped in front of a small, glowing symbol and the man pushed Ray forward, earning a small huff from the younger man. Guessing it was another necessary component of his journey, Ray whistled and then watched as the symbol broke apart and swirled around him. Over his shoulder, Ray gazed in amazement as his scarf grew before the symbols faded away. The man nodded and ran off again, causing Ray to sigh, but follow him nonetheless. He couldn’t understand the insistence with this traveler and figured that the man probably wanted to get rid of Ray as quickly as possible.

As they ran, Ray turned his gaze upwards and saw what looked like bridges made out of fabric. His companion raced forward and climbed towards the scarves, leaving Ray no time to admire the scenery around him. After crossing the makeshift bridges and landing on solid ground, Ray noticed a triangular structure surrounded by several tombstone formations. The other man whistled and Ray looked at him in confusion until he saw all structures light up. He gave his own whistle and felt a small hint of excitement when he saw the lights flicker. The man rolled his eyes and knelt down in the center of the circle, whistling again, indicating for Ray to do the same with a quick melody. Ray followed the man’s motions and knelt down in prayer, wondering if to close his eyes before a blast of light came at him.

When Ray opened his eyes, there was nothing but white surrounding him and he looked around for his companion. Instead a large figure dressed in white presented itself to him and he took a step back. A mask covered the figure’s face, but Ray could still feel a pair of eyes on him. The figure looked back up and a small sound like a bell came from the figure before a mural appeared in front of Ray. On the mural, Ray saw figures appearing, dressed in outfits similar his own and it looked like an indication of a civilization. He had no idea what the images meant but he assumed it was a story of a life that was no more. The images faded and a figure in red clothing stood ahead of Ray, their back turned to him. Ray’s heart beat faster and he reached out toward the person, though he wasn’t sure why, before the light came blasting back at him and he found himself back with his companion. 

The man stood and ran down the hallway ahead of him, Ray obediently following his lead though his mind echoed with the thoughts of the mysterious figure in red. Suddenly, they reached a platform that dropped off and the older man whistled another melody that Ray took as explanations to jump down to find his next destination. With the way the traveler whistled at him, Ray figured he was continuing on alone. The dark-haired man nodded and whistled one more time, hoping that at least some friendship had formed between him and the other man. To Ray’s relief, the man’s face formed a warm, tired smile and a solitary note came from his lips before Ray jumped off the platform and down into the sand.

Ahead of Ray was a large, dark entrance and he slowly made his way forward, looking over his shoulder at the golden desert one last time.


	3. Jack

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While traveling with his second companion, Ray's confidence grows and he feels right at home

Ray swallowed nervously and took hesitant steps the dark cavern. He noticed right away that it wasn’t pitch black and there seemed to be a soft, blue light a considerable distance away down a narrow hallway. Deciding to trust the light, Ray ran silently towards it and only slowed down his pace when he saw a shape appear within the blue light. Hoping this would be another traveler, Ray walked forward and stepped from the dark hallway onto a platform where he saw long pieces of fabric in a tight group floating from more fallen structures. Above the cloth lay another platform, which Ray assumed would be his next destination. 

A low whistle caught his attention, causing Ray to jump slightly. It was a deep tone that reminded him of the wind blowing through his tent at night, but he was still unsure of what to make of it as he turned around. A man with glasses and a prominent red beard softly smiled down at Ray and the dark-haired man let some of his guard down, almost instantly trusting this companion. The other man looked towards the platform above them and Ray followed his gaze, assuming they were thinking the same thought. However, before Ray could think anymore, the other man whistled again before leaping towards the cloth. Ray held back a choke of surprise and watched with wide eyes as the man seemed to climb on the cloth, easily reaching the other platform with no disruptions. 

The low whistle came again and Ray couldn’t help looking down at the drop below the floating fabric. Deciding that his new companion probably knew more than he did, Ray put all his faith into the fabric and found himself half-climbing and half-floating up the fabric. Once on the next platform, the man smiled and Ray felt a small amount of accomplishment. Ray looked ahead and saw the platform drop off again, but this time into the same scenery he had seen before in the cavern. This time, Ray sped off first, feeling confident about what he had to do. He heard the strong whistle behind him and glanced over his shoulder to see his companion following behind, a grin on the man’s face. 

The two ran around in the softly lit cavern and Ray found himself enjoying his time with this companion as they collected the cloth. Soon enough, however, the triangular statue Ray had seen before stood in the distance and he felt his mood drop slightly. He had a feeling that it was time to leave this companion and he began hating the fact that he barely had a chance to really know the travelers he had met before they would be gone. 

Noticing Ray’s change in mood, the other man whistled a soft song and Ray whipped his head towards his companion in shock. The melody was all too familiar, having heard it since childhood and he couldn’t believe that this man knew it as well. As they approached the statue, the man put a reassuring hand on Ray’s back and the dark-haired man felt a little better about the journey ahead. The two knelt down and Ray let the blast of air come at him again.

When Ray opened his eyes, he nearly fell backwards. The strange white figure from before was staring directly at him, leaning down in order to look at Ray properly. Ray gulped and did his best to remain standing as the figure straightened up and let out a single, high note. The hieroglyphic symbols of a civilization past appeared again and then expanded across a mural, showing figures around the cloth that hung from Ray’s neck. The civilization grew and Ray assumed all was well, the red fabric bringing both peace and prosperity. However, Ray’s assumptions were broken when large, mechanical-like things appeared on the mural, attacking both the cloth and the figures until the buildings turned dark. White light appeared again and Ray blinked furiously as a blurry figure stood in front of him, now more turned in his direction. Ray’s heart beat furiously and he felt a happiness grow within him as he reached out towards the figure. 

A whistle made him turn back around and suddenly, blackness rushed towards Ray. He inhaled heavily and stared around wide-eyed, realizing he was now back in the cavern with his companion and his scarf now past his waist in length. The man looked concerned and Ray only shook his head, covering his emotions with a short whistle. His companion looked at him a little while longer before standing up and slowly walking down the hallway ahead of them. Ray stared at his feet as he followed behind the other man, ignoring the increasing darkness as he thought about the mysterious figure. Suddenly, his companion held out his arm, stopping Ray in his tracks, and whistled lowly. Ray sighed and responded with his own small whistle, until the man gave him a light nudge and a smile. Ray couldn’t help but give a grin to his companion and the two waved before Ray continued alone into the darkness.


	4. Ryan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first thought that entered Ray's mind was just how alone he was...

The first thought that entered Ray’s mind was just how alone he was. He had already left his second companion and it only increased the worry in his mind. The air seemed thick and Ray felt as if he couldn’t trust his own body. No sound echoed around him and the dark haired man wondered if he was indeed going the right way. Cautiously, he worked his way around the fallen structures and collected pieces of fabric when they appeared, using them as his only guide. 

As he walked along, Ray noticed t-shaped structures sticking out of the sand and he edged his way around them, feeling as if he should be frightened of something more. Momentarily, his foot slipped and he heard sand slide towards one of the structures unusually fast. Ray stiffened and he watched in fear as the sand began to swirl. His first instinct was to run, but he couldn’t make his legs do as he wanted. The sand began to sink faster and faster before a huge structure burst out of the sand, causing Ray to let out a yell and fall backwards. The long object turned, shining a bright spotlight onto him, and Ray realized that it wasn’t a structure, but a creature he had only heard about in legends. 

A Guardian had been awoken and its only motive was to destroy the red fabric, including the scarf around Ray’s neck. 

Ray shakily pushed himself to his feet and felt the ground rumble as more of the same creatures burst out of the sand. He realized he was surrounded and panicked, desperately searching for a way out.

Then, Ray felt a hand on his wrist and was pulled harshly, causing him to move his legs. Ray’s mind then clicked and he found himself running with whoever had a hold on him. A sharp note hit his ears and he realized that it was another traveler dragging him along. Ahead, Ray could see a glowing curtain of symbols and his body jerked different directions as the traveler avoided falling sand and the chasing Guardians. Ray was thrown forward and he landed heavily on his stomach just as the other person barely made it through the glowing symbols. Ray nearly shouted as he saw the Guardians speed towards them, but as soon as the creatures touched the symbols, they were blown back. It was then that Ray realized the symbols were making a kind of force field around them and he watched nervously as the Guardians circled around. 

A huff came from the side followed by another sharp note and Ray winced, wondering how any melody could fit along with the set of notes he just heard. He weakly responded with his whistle and looked up, seeing an older man with blond hair kneel down beside him. There was concern in the other man’s eyes, which Ray was surprised by. He thought for sure the traveler would’ve been angry at him for waking up the Guardians. Instead, the other man shook his head and stood, holding out his hand to help Ray up. Gratefully, Ray took it and whistled a small melody as his way of apologizing as the two began walking. The man responded with his own song and Ray couldn’t help scrunching up his face. It was an odd melody that seemed chaotic, yet flowed seamlessly together all at once.

His companion chuckled and the two made their way between the symbols, the Guardians following alongside like silent predators. Ray looked to the other man for reassurance that the symbols would remain up for protection, only to grimace as the man shrugged with an amused look. Ray could only describe this companion as crazy, but deep down found himself enjoying the man’s light demeanor. 

A cluster of light posts lay ahead and Ray’s mouth twitched, unsure if he wanted to smile cynically or frown. This time, he lit up the lights with his whistle and the two knelt down to pray.

As Ray’s eyes adjusted to the brightness, the white figure looked over their shoulder at Ray and the dark-haired man pursed his lips, unsure of what to do. The familiar ping came again and he waited for the rest of the images to appear as the mural grew around him. A large tower with windows of light seeped onto the mural and Ray saw figures climbing to the top of a tower, the mountain still standing in the distance. He felt a sense of renewal upon seeing the images, though he still could not understand why they all needed to go to the mountain.

The mural faded away again and Ray looked around for the mysterious figure in red. Their face was turned away when they finally appeared, but Ray reached out nonetheless and gently took the edge of their sleeve in his fingers. Just as Ray was about to tug, his eyes opened and he slowly hunched over, toying with his even longer scarf in his hand in the dim light of the lanterns. 

His companion stood and patiently waited for Ray to get to his feet as he led him towards more glowing lights that lit a pathway for the two. Ray couldn’t help but feel defeated each time he left a prayer. The mysterious figure was unexplainable and Ray was desperate to know more. 

Shaking his head, he glanced up and saw a platform ahead. Noticing the lack of another person, he spun around and saw his companion standing several feet back. Ray gave an apologetic look, but the man waved it off and began whistling. Unsure, Ray slowly joined into the strange tune and found his whistling matching very well with his companion’s. He looked at the man in confusion and he could see the man grinning as if he knew all along that their melodies fit together much better than Ray realized. Ray gave a small wave and ran off onto the next platform, hoping that a short goodbye would hurt less as he hurried on.


	5. Gavin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A soft light hit Ray’s eyes and he couldn’t believe what he saw as he stepped out onto the platform...

A soft light hit Ray’s eyes and he couldn’t believe what he saw as he stepped out onto the platform. He could see that he was in a circular room that seemed to go upwards forever and in the center lay a huge tower. There was a thick mist that only seemed to go to the first floor of the tower and Ray searched for a source of light. Seeing a few small lanterns in the distance, Ray ran towards them and whistled. Images appeared on the wall in front of him and suddenly, a part of the tower lit up. Ray saw the mist lift and flower-shaped fabrics appeared, indicating a path upwards. Floating among the fabric was one that moved like it was swimming in the air and Ray found it similar to something he had heard about in Burnie’s tales of the ocean. 

The room entranced Ray until he heard a laugh followed by a bright whistle. Looking up, Ray saw a figure running along the back of the swimming fabric and nearly let out a shout when the figure tripped and fell through the air. He raced forward and then found himself jumping back as the person clumsily landed on the ground in front of Ray. They brightly grinned and the dark haired man found himself wanting to smile back. Before him was a man with dirty blond hair and a small amount of scruff on his face. His smile was infectious and he seemed to have a cheery attitude about him. 

The man whistled a small, happy tune and Ray immediately responded with his own, though much quieter than the other’s. The man raised his eyebrows and he had a mischievous look in his eyes before speeding off. Feeling the competitive side in him come out, Ray grinned and ran forward, easily catching up to the other man and passing him. The traveler shoved Ray playfully and jumped up onto one of the flower fabrics, taunting Ray with his whistles. Eagerly, Ray raced after the other man and the two climbed the fabrics in a game of tag, every so often landing in the tower. As they continued on, whistling and running, more images appeared on the wall and the whole room became brighter and brighter. Ray looked down for a moment and realized how high he was, but felt so confident in his abilities that he thought nothing of it. 

Once closer to the top, Ray and his companion stopped inside the tower to catch their breaths and they sat down grinning at each other as if they had been friends for years. Ray opened his mouth to speak and then caught himself, only letting out a small, breathy whistle. His companion bit his lip and Ray could see the man wishing to speak as well before his shoulders dropped and he replied with a half-hearted note. Ray could only assume his companion had been through the same situations as himself and he tried to think of ways to encourage the other man. Thinking back to his second companion, Ray whistled the childhood melody and his companion immediately perked up. He could see the happiness come back into the man’s eyes and a smile soon enough appeared on his face. The man joined in on the melody, though harmonizing with Ray’s notes and the two felt encouraged by each other. Deciding it was time to continue on, they jumped out of the tower, once again engaging in their games to the top. 

The entire room soon became lit all around, shimmering like it was covered in gold. The two men stared around in awe and nodded at each other before whistling in unison. The domed ceiling became illuminated with the murals Ray had seen in his other prayers, continuing on to show harsh winds and then finally reaching the top of the mountain where the figures were now dressed in off-white robes. Two figures in white were now around the two men and Ray assumed one was for him and the other was for his companion. 

Ray looked to his side to see the other man, but instead, the mysterious figure was in his place. Ray bit down his gasp and raced forward, grabbing the figure’s sleeve again. This time, the figure turned to him but before Ray could see their face, he felt himself being pulled backwards and landing on something soft. A small oof came from underneath him and Ray jumped up, realizing he had landed on his companion. Laughing, the other man got to his feet and sheepishly smiled, pointing towards the ledge that Ray assumed he must have been dangerously close to. Ray’s mouth formed an o and he found himself unable to get upset at his companion. He gave the other man a grateful smile and the two headed towards the fabric bridge that lay before them. 

Large doors appeared once they had crossed and Ray felt a cold wind. As he turned towards his companion, Ray felt his heart break at the look on the other man’s face. The man seemed desperate and sad, slowly shaking his head as if he was wishing for Ray to stay with him. Not knowing what else to do, Ray reached out and pulled the man into a hug, hoping that would be enough to let the other man know that everything would be okay. His companion tightly hugged him back and when the two pulled apart, they began whistling their melody. This time, Ray didn’t turn away from his companion and the two kept on whistling until Ray backed out the doors and into the bitter wind. Their eyes remained on each other and then the door closed, locking Ray out in the white scenery.


	6. Michael

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "The traveler glared and whistled again irritably, but this only caused Ray to grin."

Ray felt sadness when he realized he’d have to leave his fourth companion behind. The other man had made Ray’s journey seem effortless and their melodies blended so well together. Now, Ray could only hope that the other man would make his way to the mountain as well. He tugged his robes around him and was thankful that it was a clear day to be out in the snow. Burnie had described snow to Ray before, but he thought the man had been lying about how cold it was. 

After stumbling around a bit, Ray finally found his footing and walked around the fallen structures, keeping the mountain in the side of his vision. He climbed over a few rocks, letting his body move on autopilot as he collected fabric and jumped around. Ray glanced back at his scarf and still couldn’t believe how long it had become. Learning to float seemed so long ago and he didn’t know how he managed to get around when his scarf was nonexistent. 

Suddenly, Ray bumped into something and stumbled backwards, assuming it was just a rock until he heard a growl. Ray frowned and watched as a blanket fell to the ground and a man with red curls and glasses stood in front of Ray, his face holding an irritated look. Assuming this was another traveler, Ray straightened up and stared the man down to show his own strength, expecting more confrontation. However, at this gesture, the other man seemed amused and he whistled. 

Ray cocked his head in confusion, not expecting such a familiar sound to come out of this companion’s mouth. The traveler glared and whistled again irritably, but this only caused Ray to grin. The whistle sounded exactly the same to his fourth companion’s melody that Ray couldn’t help but wonder if this traveler was what they would call soul mates with his previous companion. Gritting his teeth, the traveler turned around sharply and marched through the snow, mad or determined Ray wasn’t sure. He shook himself and did his best to follow behind this new companion, feeling the wind starting to pick up. 

After some time, a whistle and a gesture made Ray realize that he and his companion would have to use the taller rocks as shelter from the wind if they wished to make it up the mountain. Every step he took felt like he was being pushed back three and found himself being pulled along by his other companion until they reached a point where the two were narrowly surrounded by cliff faces. Ray exhaled heavily and leaned against the rock wall, rubbing his arms in an attempt to warm himself. He heard a scoff and saw his companion glaring at him. Ray responded with a short whistle and a, “what’s your problem?” look, pushing himself off the rock. His companion rolled his eyes and whistled sharply before charging back into the wind and now accompanying snow.

Feeling the anger grow in him, Ray very reluctantly followed, wishing at that moment he could talk and tell the other man to calm down. The two avoided looking at each other as the trek continued on and Ray almost felt like going his own way, except he knew that he wouldn’t get far. Looking around, Ray noticed a small glimmer through the falling snow and quickly turned towards his companion, but found no one there. Instead, the other man was busy collecting fabric and Ray became upset until he saw the glimmer coming towards them quickly. Feeling his stomach drop, Ray forced himself through the snow and towards his companion as fast as he could.

When he reached the other man, Ray grabbed him by the scarf and dragged the protesting man into a fallen ruin. Once inside, the man ripped his scarf from Ray’s grip and shoved Ray against the wall. He raised his arm to punch Ray, but suddenly paused and Ray saw the fear pass across his face as a spotlight passed by them. The fear went away quickly however and the man turned back to Ray, who had now covered his face, waiting for the inevitable punch. It never came however and Ray found his hands being pulled away gently. He nervously met his companion’s eyes and found a new kindness in them, like a mixture of relief and apology. Ray tried to pass it off nonchalantly, but the other man shook his head and grabbed Ray’s arms. The man gave them a squeeze and Ray could now see that the man was really quite friendly, but was certainly someone with little patience.

The spotlight finally disappeared and Ray’s companion ventured out first, letting Ray know when to follow with a short wave. As Ray made his way out, the man whistled sharply and the two ran towards a narrow pathway, only turning back once they were in the safety of the rocks. The two let out sighs of relief and they continued on along the mountain, Ray unhappily noting that the wind and snow was getting worse. The two whistled when they had the strength, but only a few lanterns lit their way and Ray felt heaviness creep into his mind and body. 

Unfortunately, there came a point where there was nothing to lead them and the two blindly walked up the mountain. The snow and wind had now turned into a storm, but there was nothing to shelter them. Ray felt his legs burning, but he knew if they stopped, they would most likely die. Finally, a small clump of rocks forming an artificial cave appeared and Ray helped his companion towards it. The man immediately collapsed and Ray shuffled in alongside as well. The man let out a low whistle and Ray replied with a small note before his mind pushed him towards sleep. 

When he awoke, Ray was disappointed to see that the storm still raged around them and he got up shakily. He turned back to his companion and saw the other man push himself up before collapsing. Ray immediately rushed over and tried to help the man up, but his companion harshly pushed him away and whistled loudly while motioning to the mountain. Ray looked back and forth between the mountain and his companion, conflicted until the man gave him a heated glare. Ray knelt down and hugged the man, his only way of apologizing for leaving him behind and he fought back the sadness that threatened to come. To his surprise, his companion hugged him back and squeezed Ray’s shoulder reassuringly as Ray pulled away. The two whistled one last time and Ray turned to continue up the mountain, the harsh winds pushing against him and his body turning colder by the minute.

~

Ray knew his body was giving out. Each step became heavier and he could no longer feel anything, working only on blind faith now. The wind blew every direction, blocking his sight with snow, and Ray felt the last ounce of his strength give out as he collapsed.

\\*/*\\*/*\\*/*\

If this was heaven, Ray wasn’t complaining. There were no sounds and his body felt warm, though that was all his mind could register. Around him were six figures, the ones that had appeared during prayer, and they formed a tight half-circle around him. Feeling his body lift, Ray felt a new energy grow within and he opened his eyes. Before him was the mysterious figure once again, but this time, they were finally turned towards Ray. He inhaled sharply and reached out immediately, desperate to keep them with him. The air around him swirled and Ray found himself flying through a circular wind tube, the figure before him, hand outstretched back towards Ray. Doing his best to catch up, Ray shot his hand forward, using every last bit of his strength to grab the other person’s hand. Their fingers entwined and then all went white.


	7. Joel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When the hand remained, Ray felt himself holding his breath and he didn't want to open his eyes right away.

When the hand remained, Ray felt himself holding his breath and he didn’t want to open his eyes right away. For once, the figure wouldn’t be an elusive mystery and it frightened and excited him all at once. Ray felt solid ground beneath his feet and pondered where he was for a moment before his thoughts went back to who he was now with. The hand felt warm in his own and Ray opened his eyes to look up at the figure before him. Brown eyes stared softly back at him from under the red hood and Ray’s face broke into a smile. He felt as if he had known this person all his life and he hesitantly reached up to push away the hood completely. 

Spiked, black hair popped up and the man thoughtfully watched Ray’s hand as he slid it down his face. Figuring it was only fair, Ray pulled back his own hood and watched a small smile creep onto the traveler’s face. Nervously, the man licked his lips and whistled a small note, causing Ray to feel his whole body being engulfed by warmth. The tune was the same as his own and Ray finally understood why he had seen this man so many times in his prayers. Ray softly whistled and before he could finish the note, his body was crushed in a hug. He heard a heavy sigh leave the other man and Ray eagerly hugged him back. He had laughed about Burnie’s stories of soul mates when he was younger, believing them only myths to encourage those traveling to the mountain, but now, found himself believing in nothing else but his companion. He inhaled deeply and the two relaxed in each other’s arms. 

Finally pulling back from each other, the two men looked around and saw clear, blue skies around the mountain as well as temple pillars before them. Long pieces of fabric lay out the path before them and animal-like cloth swam around. Ray was breath taken by the beauty, wondering how he had only been content with the desert life that seemed like years ago. 

His companion whistled and took Ray’s hand, entwining their fingers before slowly heading toward edge of the platform. Nodding at each other, the two whistled and floated up into the air. Ray waited to fall back down, but instead, his companion flew forward and Ray found himself flying as well. A bit of scarf caught Ray’s eye and he saw a scarf nearly twice the length of his body floating behind him. Ray’s eyes opened in shock and then he grinned, immediately loving this new ability to fly. His companion smiled at Ray’s excitement and the two flew off, occasionally running down the backs of the flying animalistic fabrics and alongside waterfalls that were appearing along the mountain. In all this time, their hands never once let go and Ray wished he could make this moment last. 

Momentarily, he was reminded of his final mission at the top and pulled himself closer into his companion. Things finally felt complete and he didn’t want to lose the security he felt right now. 

The snow-covered ground came up quickly and Ray stumbled a bit as the two landed. They were now within the pass to the end of the journey and Ray looked around as two cliff faces towered on either side of him.

Ray could hardly believe he had reached the top of the mountain. His time in the desert seemed so long ago and he didn’t know what to think of first. The end was finally in sight, but Ray didn’t want to go. He felt a hand squeeze his own and Ray let out a small sigh. He knew he had to leave the man, but since what lay beyond was unknown, Ray just wanted to stay with his companion and forget about the journey. However, his companion saw Ray’s worry and turned Ray towards him. Ray’s heart felt heavy and he didn’t want to look at the other man’s face in fear of seeing sorrow in his eyes, but the man slowly lifted Ray’s face upward and he had no choice. 

Instead of sadness however, Ray was met by a look that he never even knew existed. It was filled with such emotion that Ray felt overwhelmed with joy and doubt. His hood was pushed back and Ray felt the other man press his lips to Ray’s forehead. Almost instantly, Ray became lost in the touch, but his purpose to continue on became stronger. The man cupped Ray’s face and Ray reached up to hold onto the man’s hands. The two stared into each other’s eyes for what seemed like eternity to Ray before he ran his fingers along the man’s hands and nodded. The man softly smiled and dropped his hands, taking a step back as Ray turned towards the white light. Hesitantly, Ray took a step forward and looked at his companion one final time before continuing on. 

Ray forced back all thoughts of hesitation and slowly walked forward, the light engulfing him with every step until he was seen no more.


	8. The End

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We each go through our own journey in life, experiencing both the good and the bad, but in the end, what does it all really mean?

A crackling sound came from the mountain and a star-like light burst from the top. Just when it looked like the light would disappear into the sky, it shot back down and swirled around the mountain a few times. 

Then, its speed slowed down and it zoomed along the mountain pass, appearing before the man with dark hair. It floated gently in front of him and the man tenderly smiled, swirling it around in his hands before it flew off again, leaving the man as he continued on towards the final destination. 

Speeding down the mountain, the light followed an orange glow and found the curly-haired man huddled around a fire and broken lantern pieces in the shelter of a large rock. The light spun several times around him before stopping sharply and the man looked confused and irritated at first before he rolled his eyes with a grin.

The light hovered around the fire and shot off, closer to the bottom of the mountain where it found a man slowly making his way through the snow. It bounced around the man, who laughed and played around with the light like a baby animal until it flew away. When the man turned back to his path, he saw a glimpse of a small fire ahead and he felt his heart lift as he raced towards it.

The light flew between the fallen structures and through the golden room until it nearly crashed into the face of a man with blond hair. The man shook his head, but a smile threatened its way onto his lips and the light continued on its way. 

Seeing no signs of the Guardians, the light found the bearded man in the dark cavern, who waved up at it as if recognizing it immediately. The man laughed as the light swirled around and he leapt onto the next platform.

The light continued on, bursting out of the temple and into the warm desert, where a man with dark hair and a scruffy beard sat at the edge of a platform, eyes closed. As the light bounced around him, he opened his eyes tiredly and grinned, giving a nod to the light. 

It zoomed off once more across scores of desert landscape and finally came across a solitary tent, where a figure with glasses and curly hair stood outside. The light slowed down and hovered in front of the man, bouncing around softly. Immediately understanding the light’s message, the man smiled at it, much like a proud father smiling at their child. 

The light lingered around him a little while longer before shooting up into the sky, twinkling until it vanished in the blue vastness. A calm wind swept through the desert afterwards and the man knew that all was well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like quoting MCR now...but hey, if you're reading this, thanks for reading my story! It was one of my more difficult ones, but I hope you enjoyed it anyways :)  
> I'd love to hear your interpretations of Ray's journey if you have any headcanons or whatnot. I love to hear other people's thoughts on things like this.  
> I hope you have a good day wherever you are!!


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